Wire-stretcher.



No. 664,671. Patented Dec. 251 |900.l

F. J. LMSTED.

WIREV STRETCHEB.

(Appxiwion and Aug. 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. OLMSTED, OF BEAVER CITY, NEBRASKA.-

WI RE- STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,671, dated December25, 1900. Application ledl August 29, 1900. Serial No. 28,458. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it' may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. OLMSTED, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Beaver City, in the county oi' Furnas and State ofNebraska, have invented a new and Improved Wire-Stretcher, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for stretching wire designed to befastened to posts, such as fence-wires; and the object is to provide asimple and comparatively inexpensive device of this character by meansof which the wire lcan be quickly and tightly stretched, and, further,to so arrange the device that it may be conveniently employed forstretching and twisting together the ends of a broken wire.

I will describe a wire-stretcher embodying my invention and then pointout the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of a wirestretcher embodying my inventionand showing the same in connection with a single wire. Fig. 2 is amodification showing the device as used for stretching a woven-wirefence, and Fig. 3 is a detail of a part shown in Fig. 2.

The wire-stretcher comprises a lever l, having a series of notches 2formed in one of its edges. One end of the lever is provided with curvedarms 3 4, designed to engage against a post, as Willbe hereinafterdescribed, and the ends of these arms are provided with holes for apurpose to be described. Rigidly connected to the lever is an inclinedbracebar 5, the free end of which is substantially in vertical line withthe end of the lever on which the arms are formed and is designed to beengaged with a post to prevent the lever from being moved downward bythe pulling or tension of the wire. A chain 6 is also attached to thelever and is designed to be engaged around a post or with a nail or thelike driven into the post to hold the lever in position after stretchingthe wire, so that the staple or other fastening device may be placedover the wire.

In connection with the lever I employ a stretching-head which is movableon the lever to engage in either one of the notches 3 and is designed tobe engaged by and hold the wire or material to be stretched. In Fig. l Ihave shown the stretching-head as consisting of a ring 7, having an eye8, into which the end of a single wire to be stretched may be twisted.In Fig. 2 I have shown the stretching-head as designed to receive aWoven-wire fence. The head consists of a bar 9, in which is placed aseries of bolts l0, having hookshaped ends ll to engage through themeshes of the wire fence, after which the bolts may be tightened by thenuts 12. From the bar 9 rods 13 extend and have at their meetingpoint aring 14 for engaging around the lever l and adapted to be engaged ineither one of the notches 2.

In operation in stretching a single Wire the wire is to be engaged withthe stretchinghead 7, which is to be placed upon the lever. Then byplacing the arms 3 and 4 against the post the lever is to be swungcircumferentially of the post, and when the Wire shall have beensufficiently stretched the chain is brought into use to hold the lever,and consequently hold the wire taut until a staple or staples can beplaced over the same. The operation of the device shown in Fig. 2 is thesame as above described. Of course in this case the stretching-head-Will be connected with the woven wire. When it is desired to connectthe two ends of a broken wire, the ends are to be passed through theperforations in the arms 3 and twisted. Then by turning the lever on ahorizontal plane-say,

from one side of the fence to the other-the two ends of the wire will becaused to overlap, and then the lever may be turned to a verticalposition and rotated to twist the ends together.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl.. A wire stretcher, comprising a lever adapted to beengaged with and to be moved circu mferentiallyof a post and havingnotches in one of its edges, a stretcher-head comprising a ringextending around yand movable along the lever and adapted to engage inany one of said notches, a brace attached to one side of the lever andadapted to be engaged IOO with a post to hold the lever against thepulling strain of a Wire, and a chain attached to the lever,substantially asV specified.

2. A Wire streteher, comprising a lever adapted to be engaged with andto be moved ci reumferentially of a post and having notches in one ofits edges, and a stretcher-head comprising a ring movable along thelever and adapted to engage in any one of said notches,

1o a bar arranged at right angles to the lever and having connectionwith the ring, hook-bolts mounted in said bar, and tightening-nuts onsaid bolts, substantially as speoied.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of ri577 two subscribing Witnesses. A

FRANK J. OLMSTED.

Witnesses:

FANNIE MASON, SARA R. OLMSTED.

